Spartan Chick

This time last year, if I was to do one of those activities where I imagine my life a year into the future I would have NEVER pictured it like this!

One of the biggest surprises that has come along this past year was running a Spartan Race (or three) and loving it as much as I did!

When a friend at the rec center first asked me to do the Spartan Race, I giggled nervously and brushed it off. Then I kept thinking about it, but just didn't think it was possible. I had a million reasons excuses.

1. I can't run.
2. My knees hurt.
3. I don't know what to expect.
4. What if I fail?
5. How can I eat during the race?
6. It's too much money.
7. Mud is not exactly my thing.

And so on...

But, I have committed to my One Little Word of "push" this year and part of my objective with that word is to push myself to try new things by saying yes to every new opportunity I got this year. So, I hesitantly signed up for my first Spartan Sprint Race.

And then the day came. I hadn't done much of anything outside of my normal workouts to prepare. I just figured I would see how it went.

The Fort Carson Sprint ended up being a little under 5 miles with 26 obstacles and was the most fun I have ever had during a competition of sorts! I quickly learned that my knees didn't hurt, I wouldn't fail and that mud is EXACTLY my thing! I loved every minute of it and the sense of accomplishment at the end is unbelievable!

Figuring out my own technique for the barbed wire crawl.

Coming out of the muddy water in the Dunk Wall.

Swinging across on the rope, hoping my butt doesn't hit the water.

My first finish and the best feeling ever!

#swolesisters

My favorite little cheerleader!

Very soon after completing this first Sprint race, I signed up to do a second one. I was so excited and now I had a better idea of what to train and practice for. 

Breckenridge was another beast entirely and no matter what I prepared for in my head, it was a different type of challenge. The altitude, to begin with, was very tough to overcome! Some of the obstacles were completely new to us, and we struggled at some points.

Running out of the 40 degree water.

Barbed Wire Crawl in the snow up the side of a ski slope.

The best choice I made for this time around was to purchase a Flip Belt. It's a belt made of stretchy, fitness clothing material, that has small slits in it and is a large pocket all the way around. With it I carried protein bars and Power Bar gummies right around my hips, which made me feel much more confident knowing my blood sugars wouldn't crash mid-race!

Log carry.

Now with two races under my belt, I was completely addicted! All I could think about was another race and training even better. I quickly signed up for the next race in two weeks in Salt Lake City, Utah. This time, I went even bigger, to the Super, which is approximately 8 miles long with more obstacles. 

I had to get a Spartan Selfie!

A Frame Cargo Net Climb.

My first tire flipping experience! 

Going across the rope...I would have been more scared if it was over water.

The muddiest barbed wire crawl known to man!

My workout buddy, Sam, couldn't make this race, so I was going at it alone. But something you quickly learn as a Spartan is that the sense of community and teamwork is incredible! Anyone will be willing to help you on obstacles where you struggle and there is always someone cheering you along!

Now, here it is barely three months after running my first Sprint race and I have completed an additional Sprint as well as a Super. I am also signed up to run the Beast in Dallas, Texas in October. I am so nervous about having to run 13+ miles in the Beast, but I am working my hardest to bring the biggest A-game possible! 

That post race glow!

If I manage to finish the Beast without collapsing and dying (which is a possibility here...) then I will have completed a Spartan Trifecta my first year as a competitor! A Trifecta is completing one race of each length in the Spartan brand and I am super excited to get the last piece to my Trifecta medal!

One thing I love about being a Spartan is that it is the exact opposite of who I thought I was, and yet it makes me feel so complete! I usually run the race with lipgloss in my pocket the entire time and I have come up with the term "Team High Maintenance" for Sam and I. I absolutely believe that I can be girly and one tough mama all at the same time! I am my own kind of badass and pretty darn proud of that!

Here is to the two sides of me...the beauty AND the beast!

.................... I'm making gains in this Little Life! ....................